Whooping
cough, also know as pertussis, is an infectious disease of the airways caused
by a bacteria (Bordetella pertussis). It
can affect persons of any age and is particularly serious and occasionally
life-threatening for children aged under 1 year. Complications include pneumonia, seizures,
brain damage and weight loss. It is
spread by coughing and develops within 6-20 days (usually 9-10 days) of a
person coming into contact with the disease.
What are the
symptoms?
The disease often begins
with the same symptoms as a “cold”, along with an irritating, persistent cough
which gets worse and may last for several weeks.
Bouts of coughing result in
breathlessness which causes the characteristic “whoop” on breathing in. This may be associated with vomiting. Adults and infants may not have the
“whoop”. Diagnosis is confirmed by a
swab from the back of the nose and sometimes a PCR test.
How is it caught?
Whooping cough is caught
from the airways secretions of an infected person and by droplets produced by
coughing or sneezing. A person is
infectious for 3-4 weeks from the onset of the first symptoms.
How is it treated?
An antibiotic (erythromycin)
if given early, can shorten the infectious period and reduce symptoms.
If whooping cough is
suspected, the person should be seen by a doctor and kept away from others and
especially children under one year of age and women in the late stage of
pregnancy.
They should be off work,
school or preschool until they have taken at least 5 days of a 7 day course of
the antibiotic.
If the antibiotic is not
given, the person should be kept away from others for 3 weeks from the onset of
the cough.
A doctor can advise about
treatment of symptoms. The cough is
often distressing for preschoolers, but bed rest, plenty of fluids and small
bland meals can be helpful in management and may lessen trigger factors for the
cough.
Keep in contact with your
doctor especially if the illness persists.
How is spread prevented?
Antibiotic treatment for
people who have been in contact with whooping cough is aimed at preventing
spread to under one year olds who are more likely to develop severe disease.
§ Where there is a
household or preschool with a child under one year at risk because a person has
recently been diagnosed with whooping cough, members of the household or
preschool may need antibiotics. Contact
the local public health service for advice.
§ When a case
occurs in a household where there is a woman in the late stage of pregnancy,
all persons in that household should also receive a course of antibiotic to
prevent possible future spread to the newborn infant.
What about spread to others?
Immunisation is the most
effective means of preventing the disease and controlling it in the community.
§ Five pertussis
vaccinations are given as part of the National Childhood Immunisation Schedule.
These are given free by your
local doctor. Immunised children may
still develop whooping cough but it is usually not as severe.
